Elves

Age: Elves age at the same rate as humans. Due to easier access to medicine and the prevalence of sewer systems in their cities, Elves tend to live slightly longer, usually dying at around the age of 80 or 90.

Size: Elves average around 5’5", but are of all sizes.

Keen Senses: Elves have proficiency in the Perception skill.

Magical Heritage: Elves have been practicing magic for centuries, and their knowledge of the basics of magic spread so deeply it is ingrained in their folklore and culture. They all have advantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws against magic. However, unlike the Elves of D&D, they sleep like normal people: this ability replaces Fey Ancestry and Trance.

Languages: All languages are selected in Background.

Elven Subraces

High Elves (Vokayan Elves)

These are the Elves of the Seven Cities of Vokaya, or the numerous towns and cities that lie between their vast beacons of civilization.

Educated: The Vokayan public education system is strong enough to get some basics into everyone’s head. Elves begin with 4 additional Lore pips.

Magic Sense: Vokayan Elves may all know the Detect Magic cantrip, and can cast it at will. Magical technology is so omnipresent in Vokaya that all citizens, regardless of their stature, learn how to detect its presence, if only to operate the machinery and prevent themselves from getting hurt. This ability replaces Elf Weapon Training.

Cantrip: Vokayan Elves know one cantrip of their choice from the wizard spell list. Intelligence is their spellcasting ability for it.

Extra Language: Vokayan Elves often study cultures other than their own, and their cities tend to be polyglot. They can speak, read, and write one extra language.

Wood Elves (Tribal Elves)

North of the Everwinter mountains in Vokaya there is a blasted ice shelf famous for its biting winds, blinding snowstorms, and violent natives. It is known as the Northern Wastes, but to the tribal elves in Vokaya, it is known as home. Not all Tribal Elves are from the Northern Wastes, but many are. The few others can be found in the Mistwood Gap, a dark high-altitude forest that has resisted colonization for thousands of years; the Cloud Roads actually divert deep into the northern Cascade Mountains in order to avoid the region.

Elf Weapon Training: The tribal elves of the Far North are often violent. Just as magic is a part of life, so is the capacity to kill. All tribal elves possess proficiency with the longsword, shortsword, shortbow, and longbow.

Cold Resistance: The elves of the Northern Wastes, above even the Everwinters of northern Vokaya, live in one of the most inhospitable places in Alsara. No winter, not anywhere, could compare, and even chilling magic and alchemy is simply shrugged off. Tribal elves gain resistance to cold damage, and have advantage on saves against cold-related spells and effects. This applies even to elves of the Mistwood Gap: Vokaya is a cold, cold country, a fact lost on their “civilized” brethren in the Seven Cities. This ability replaces Fleet of Foot.

Mask of the Wild: Tribal Elves can attempt to hide even when they are only lightly obscured by foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist, and other natural phenomenon.

Dark Elves

There are no Drow in Alsara.

Halflings

Halflings are from the desert far south of the Aturan Sultanate. They defend that territory with their lives, and have a terrifying reputation amongst the other peoples of Alsara for both their ruthlessness and their unshaken conviction. For most, this reputation has cascaded into the Halfling blood, but in reality it only reflects the Halfling culture. They are also known as The Adherent (though to confuse things, there are non-Halfling Adherent as well.)

For now, Exiled Halflings are Lightfoot Halflings, and Stout Halflings are Adherent.

Human

The Humans of the world are a tough and resilient people, accustomed to hardship and toil as a fact of everyday life. Mostly found in the Imperial and Aturan domains, Humans can be seen almost anywhere, in almost any walk of life.

Ability Score Increase: Humans gains a +2 to an ability of their choice.

Age:

Size:

Thick-Skinned: Humans are tough, and can continue to move and fight long after most others. They gain an additional 1 hitpoint per level.

Defiant: Humans are well-known for their stubborn nature and their adeptness at defending themselves. After confirming that a saving throw has been failed, a Human may choose to re-roll the saving throw, taking the new result. They can use this ability 1 time, and regain their uses after a long rest.

Languages: All languages are selected in Background.

Human Subraces

Feudal Humans

Humans from the heartlands of the Imperial provinces of Westland, Drakenheim, the Dunvales, the Totenvald, Ostland, the Steppelands, and the Storm Isles live in a particular form of society called Feudalism, where, in addition to a stratified society with little social mobility, they may be expected to called up to battle with only a few month’s notice as part of a Levy army.

Ability Score Increase: Feudal Humans increase their Wisdom by 1 or their Constitution by 1.

Tradesmen: Feudal Humans aren’t as specialized as their Caste counterparts, but they each are expected to produce something in their lives. They gain proficiency in two Tools of their choice.

Levy Training: Most Feudal Humans receive years of casual practice with the weapons they may be expected to bring into war. All Feudal Humans are proficient with Light Crossbows, Heavy Crossbows, Flails, Handaxes, Halberds, and Pikes (Longspears). If they should ever become proficient with all martial weapons, they instead gain a Fighting Style available to the Fighter class (that they do not already possess).

Urban Humans

Humans from dense population centers around regions of frequent trade are Urban Humans. Most humans found in Vokaya are Urban Humans, though some can be found among the upper and merchant classes in other lands; notably, the Merchant Lords of Atur.

Ability Score Increase: Urban Humans increase their Intelligence by 1 or their Dexterity by 1.

Adaptive: Urban Humans gain two Skill proficiencies of their choice.

Magic Sense: Urban Humans deal with magic frequently enough that they learn to detect it as a matter of personal safety. They gain the Detect Magic spell as a cantrip.

Caste Humans

Some Humans are locked in highly regimented caste systems, which rear them from birth to fulfill a very specific role in society. Their caste and the circumstances of their birth can determine their access to education, their social mobility, or even who decides if they live or die. The Humans in the Dulnite regions of Atur are nearly all Caste Humans, as are humans from the Dunvales Conclave and provinces of the Holy Falcon Empire.

Ability Score Increase: Caste Humans increase their Strength by 1 or their Charisma by 1.

Caste-Born: Caste Humans were pushed towards their caste from the very hour of their birth, and such indoctrination is difficult to shake; even those who reject their station are touched by it. As a consequence of this focused upbringing, every Caste Human has a pool of dice called their Caste Dice, which can be used to improve the results of checks relating to their caste.
A Caste Die is a d4, and the Caste Human a number of Caste Dice equal to their proficiency modifier; these dice are refreshed after a long rest. These dice can be spent to increase the result of a d20 roll: when the Caste Human rolls a check related to their caste, but before they know if they have succeeded or failed, they may roll one (but only one) of their Caste Dice and add the result to their total roll.

There are three castes:

Warrior Caste

May add dice to attack rolls.

May add dice to an attack roll made by an ally standing within 5 feet.

May add dice to checks understanding and developing military tactics, strategies, traditions, and weapons.

The Warrior Caste can be found in the Savaski and Legions of Atur, as well as the Knights of the Dunvales.

Noble Caste

May add dice to Charisma and Intelligence ability checks in which the human is proficient.

May add dice to Insight checks.

May add dice to an ally’s Charisma ability checks by interjecting into the conversation.

May add dice to checks to understand politics, histories, and noble organizations.

Caste Humans that are Nobles can be found amongst the Merchant Lords of Atur, and—more rarely—in the upper classes of the Empires and Vokaya.

Slave Caste

May add dice to Strength and Constitution ability checks.

May add dice to ability checks that use Tool proficiencies.

May add dice to Death Saving Throws.

May add dice to damage from Unarmed attacks.

Caste Humans that are Slaves are almost exclusively found in Atur, where they make up most of the population; though, whether they are called slaves or not, they also can be found in the Dunvales, the Regius Novum, some parts of the Holy Falcon Empire, and even the more remote and desolate regions of northern Vokaya.

Dragonborn (Dragonkin)

Dragonkin are found all across the world, in all manner of walks of life. They are touched in the distant past by a true Draconic ancestor, and carry the traits of their forebears far into the future. Just how much of them are still Dragons varies widely from Dragonkin to Dragonkin, and as such they show startling variety in both appearance and physical attributes. Big or small, fat or thin, scaled and snouted or just a little left of human, each true Dragonkin carries a mutation from their ancient ancestor that sets them apart from the races around them.

Ability Score Increase: Dragonkin gain 2 to an ability score of their choosing, and 1 to a different ability score of their choosing.

Draconic Resistance: All Dragonkin are resistant to fire damage.

Draconic Mutation: Dragonkin descend from powerful creatures of antiquity, but while the first generation of their kind might have been impossibly mighty and incomparably graceful, the many centuries of dilution has cost them much of their past glory. Few sparks of the original fire remain, and just what is left depends highly on the family, or even the individual. Each Dragonkin may choose one of the following powers to have inherited from their Draconic brethren: Magic Sense, Breath Weapon, or Draconic Armor.

Magic Sense: Most Dragonkin are so in tune with magical energy they can detect it as a sixth sense. Dragonkin can use the Detect Magic cantrip with a simple Wisdom (Perception) test, even while inside an anti-magic aura. Because it is second-nature to a Dragonkin (and always on), their magic sense extends beyond standard Detect Magic in the following ways:

They are unable to do more than sense and vaguely suggest possibilities of the spells at work without an Intelligence (Arcana) test.

Dragonkin can detect and attempt to identify a spell before it is finished being cast with a successful Wisdom (Perception) test, even if they cannot see the spellcaster.

They can partially detect invisible creatures. An invisible creature must roll a Dexterity (Stealth) test versus the Dragonkin’s Wisdom (Perception) roll, or be detected. If the Dragonkin is successful, then they are aware of the square that the invisible creature is in, but not their exact location. This can make communicating the idea to their allies…complicated.

Dragonkin can partially detect illusions. Instead of having to interact with an illusion to be able to make a save against it, the Dragonkin can attempt the save immediately upon being exposed to the illusion.

Dragonkin have the eerie ability to detect other spellcasters. With a successful Wisdom (Insight) test, Dragonkin can usually sense if a person casts spells and manipulates magic regularly, and with an extremely good test might even be able to sense how powerful or what kind of magic. There are all kinds of circumstances that can confuse this ability, such as someone casting magic on that character, a spellcaster forgoing spellcasting for several days, or the wearing of magic items.

Certain auras also are apparent to Dragonkin senses that are only detectable in the subconscious of other races and creatures: extreme evil, necromantic influences, the aftermath of very powerful magic, and the presence of extremely powerful magical artifacts. Exposure to these auras is generally uncomfortable, but also useful. Dragonkin trained to identify it can detect the aura emitted by Demons, for example.
This is the most common mutation to have survived the centuries of mixed blood, and nearly all Dragonkin in the modern era have this ability; truth be told, it is immeasurably useful, so it is difficult to say if those who lack this power in exchange for another are the blessed or the cursed.

Breath Weapon: Rare Dragonkin inherent the dangerous fiery breath of the true Dragons. The may, as their action in a round, breathe fire upon their enemies.
When they use their breath weapon, each creature in a 15ft. cone centered on the Dragonkin must make a Dexterity saving throw, with a DC equal to 8 + the Dragonkin’s Constitution modifier + their proficiency bonus. The effected creatures take 2d6 fire damage on a failed saving throw, and half that damage on a successful one. The damage increases to 3d6 at 6th level, 4d6 at 11th level, and 5d6 at 16th level.
After they use their breath weapon, it cannot be used again until after a short or long rest.

Draconic Armor: The Dragonkin gains tough hide or thick scales reminiscent of their ancestors. Their armor class is 13 (or higher, if the armor they are wearing would increase it). They also gain an additional 1 health per level.

Gnomes

There are no gnomes in Alsara.

Orcs

Instead of Half-Orcs, in Alsara there are only Orcs; however, the Orcs of Alsara are known to be more diverse and less inclined to abject evil, and thus most of the statistics they use are from the Half-Orc stat block.

Ability Score Increase: Orcs gain a +2 to Constitution.

Age: Orcs age closer to the same rate humans do, but their lifespan is shorter due to the frequency with which they are killed, and the more difficult conditions of their everyday lives.

Size: Medium.

Speed: 30 feet.

Relentless Endurance: Orcs have weathered much, and they will continue to weather more. When and Orc is reduced to 0 or fewer hit points by an attack, but not killed outright, they may instead drop to 1 hit point instead. They cannot use this ability again until the end of a long rest.

Pathfinder: Orcs have a curious ability to find themselves, regardless of where they are. Coupled with long standing traditions of woodcraft and astronomy, most Orcs are capable survivalists. All Orcs gain proficiency with the Survival skill.

Orc Subraces

Tribal Orc

Most of the Orcs in the world live in a tribal existence, either roving place to place in the Aturan Sultanate or hiding in the western reaches of the Neck. These Orcs are often called Raiders, but not all lay claim to that title themselves; that said, they must live with the consiquences of being an outcast wherever they go. Beyond the borders of the Vokayan colonies, an Orc might be executed at any time. Tribal Orcs live in that reality; some defy it, others shrink from it, but all must survive it.

Hidden: All Tribal Orcs must hide from the world at large. It is not a choice, but a method of survival. All Tribal Orcs are proficient with the Stealth skill.

Forever Hunted: An Orc knows they are not welcome, and that anyone at any time might make that clear. There is no place a Tribal Orc is not in danger. Tribal Orcs gain advantage on initiative tests.

Languages: Tribal Orcs can speak, read, and write Black Orcish and Trade. They may also speak (but not read or write) one extra language from the following list, depending on their homeland: Imperial, High Vokayan, or Firetongue.

Urban Orc

Not long ago, Merik Serendi Rex declared the Vokayagora Zemla a haven for Orcs, and drafted numerous laws protecting Orcs within its borders and the borders of its colonies. At the same time, he had drawn a number of Raiders into the folds of the Vokayan Stratos, beginning their integration to Vokayan society and the road to granting them citizenship. This action has drawn in Orcs from far and wide, especially from the Neck. Now, entire towns of Orcs exist in parts of Vokaya, particularly the Gift, and their populations continue to grow by the day. Legally, the Orcs of Vokaya are treated in many ways like the indigenous Elven populations, though there is more tension due to their alien appearance and sudden arrival. However, unlike all their kin for hundreds of years, and perhaps thousands before that, the Vokayan Orcs have perhaps found themselves a place they can call home. In their eyes, the Exile March has finally, finally ended.

Cantrip: Vokayan Orcs know one cantrip of their choice from the wizard spell list. Intelligence is their spellcasting ability for it.

Magical Resistance: Orcs adapt quickly, and their bodies mold to protect them against their environments. In the magic-rich realm of the Vokayagora Zemla, they have grown resistant to the workings of mages. Vokayan Orcs have advantage on saving throws against magic.

Desert Orc

The desert south of the Aturan Sultanate is both vast and terrible, filled with natural hazards, mysterious beasts, and an unforgiving sun. However, none of those things are nearly as deadly as the Adherent, who have declared that none but themselves are allowed to live in the desert.
However, six hundred years ago the entire race of the Orcs was expelled from the lands to the distant south, and they were forced to march across the breadth of the endless desert to survive. The halflings did not approve, and the passage was fraught with bloodshed. Some Orcs, afraid that there was nothing to the north to try and reach, ended their Exile March early, and choose to live locked in conflict with the Adherent. The war has not yet ended.
Orcs from the desert are universally tough, brutish, and terrible, living lives that rarely leave a state of constant battle. Their bodies and minds have adjusted to match.

Ability Score Adjustment: Orcs gain an additional +2 to Constitution and +2 to Strength, and their maximum Constitution score increases from 20 to 22. However, they also suffer a -2 to Charisma and a -2 to Intelligence; they simply do not know anything beyond their conflict with the Halflings.

Savage Attacks: When you score a critical hit with a melee weapon attack, you can roll one of the weapon’s damage dice one additional time and add it to the extra damage of the critical hit.

Languages: Desert Orcs can speak, read, and write White Orcish, and can speak (but not read or write) Tyric.

Desert Skin: Desert Orcs exist in defiance of the sun, and have grown accustomed to few resources. They can go a number of days equal to 6 + twice their Constitution modifier before suffering starvation exhaustion, and need only half a gallon of water to ignore dehydration exhaustion. If they get only a quarter gallon of water in a day, they must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or suffer a level of exhaustion as normal.

Half-Elves

There are no half-elves in Alsara that go by that name; while Humans and Elves (and Dragonkin, in fact) all can interbreed and produce viable offspring, there is no distinctive ‘between’ culture for these children to inhabit. A person with an elf and a human for parents would simply identify with the national heritage they grow up in, be it Caste Human, Urban Human, Tribal Elf, or High Elf. Similarly, there are a fair number of people that walk the world with Draconic ancestry, but only a few of them could really call themselves Dragonkin.